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"Sweet Sacrifice" is the third single from American alternative metal band Evanescence's second album The Open Door. The single was first released in Germany on May 25, 2007 and was later nominated for a 2008 Grammy Award in the category Best Hard Rock Performance.

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"Thinking of You" is the fourth official single of Katy Perry from her 2008 album One of the Boys. Perry performed the song as the official single for the first time on MuchMusic HQ's MuchOnDemand on December 15, 2008.

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"Honey" is the lead single by Erykah Badu, released from her third studio album, New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) (2008). The music video for won Best Direction at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards, and was nominated for Best Special Effects, Best Editing, and Best Cinematography. The video was also nominated for Best Short Form Music Video at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards.

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The white supremacist and her four hooker friends excreted their 5th studio album in 2008 and it's every bit as vile as their previous offerings. I don't even know why I bothered listening to "Out Of Control" in the first place. I've never understood the appeal of Britain's five worst vocalists or their bland, lifeless "songs" - inevitably overproduced to the point of parody by the once great Xenomania. I can't even enjoy these pop parasites on a so-bad-it's-good level anymore. That simple mercy has been squashed by their increasingly pretentious output as evidenced on "Out Of Control". I thought "The Promise" (the least convincing retro pop number of this decade or any other) was the bottom of the barrel but unfortunately the whole album is jam packed with stinking turds of equal measure. From beginning to end, this is a stomach churning succession of recycled ideas and bad execution. In a nutshell, "Out Of Control" is less appealing than Nicola's face. Without make-up.

-Infinity/10

2. Dance Love Pop - Agnes Carlsson

Not since the bad old days of Ratshit (Rachel) Stevens has one diva managed to destroy so many decent pop songs with her reed thin voice and astounding lack of personality. Agnes Carlsson is the musical equivalent of R2D2. She has no passion, no soul and no warmth. Listening to "Dance Love Pop", you could be forgiven for thinking that Agnes is completely devoid of humanity. There is, quite simply, no emotional connection to the lyrics or music. It's a shame because the album could have been quite fun if it wasn't performed by an evil robot.

0/10

3. Spirit (Deluxe Edition) - Leona Lewis

The most boring cunt in modern music embellishes her already shit album with even more soulless ballads and dreary mid-tempo jams custom made to highlight her incredibly mediocre voice and breathtaking lack of charisma. The joy.

0.5/10

4. The Circus - Take That

I was originally quite excited about the reformation of Take That until I realised that they had transformed into the boyband equivalent of James Blunt. The occasional cliché filled power ballad can be entertaining but a whole album of them borders on cruel and unusual punishment.

1/10

5. Hard Candy - Madonna

Earlier this year, I described "Hard Candy" as the musical equivalent of being fisted by a thick wristed dwarf. In retrospect, I think I was being overly kind.

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"Decode" is a song by American rock band Paramore released as a single from the soundtrack to the film Twilight. After the band's hit single "Misery Business", the song has been their first single to be successful on both Alternative and Pop radio formats.

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"The Shock of the Lightning" is the fourth track from British rock band Oasis' seventh studio album Dig Out Your Soul. The song was released as the first single from the album on 29 September 2008. The song entered the UK Singles Chart at #3 and also reached #12 on the Billboard Modern Rock Chart in the USA.

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"Flashing Lights" is the ninth track and fourth single from rapper Kanye West's album Graduation. The video was originally premiered at the Entertainment Weekly Grammy after-party on February 10, 2008. Due to the graphic nature of the music video, the video did not premiere on BET on February 13, 2008 as originally planned.

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"Who's Gonna Save My Soul" is the third single taken from Gnarls Barkley's second studio album The Odd Couple. It is played in a slow and sad blues style. On December 3, 2008, the video was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video.

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"Use Somebody" is the second single from Kings of Leon's fourth studio album Only by the Night, released on December 8, 2008. The music video was premiered exclusively on the band's MySpace page on November 4, 2008.

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"Sex on Fire" is the first single of Kings of Leon's fourth studio album, Only by the Night. The song gave Kings of Leon their first number one single in Australia, Ireland and United Kingdom, charting at the top-spot in the UK singles chart on digital downloads alone, before its physical release. The song also earned the band their first Grammy nominations in 2008; the song was nominated for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group. In addition, the album earned a nomination for Best Rock Album.

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"Time to Pretend" is the debut single (in the UK) from MGMT's 2008 album Oracular Spectacular. The band was previously known as The Management. The album debuted at number twelve on the UK Album Chart, and hit number one on the Billboard Top Heatseekers Chart.

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"All Nightmare Long" is the forty-fourth single by American thrash metal/heavy metal band Metallica, and the fifth from the band's ninth studio album, Death Magnetic. The single was released on December 15, 2008 and was used as the theme for the WWE's pay-per view event No Mercy 2008.

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There's something about the end of the year that brings out my obsessive compulsive streak and I tend to get a bit carried away making lists. They're completely arbitrary and takes ages to write but they are a hell of a lot of fun to look back on. I'm so proud that my best albums of 2006 countdown contained Katie Price, La Toya and Paris Hilton. That's just too fucking low brow - even by my standards! I went a bit upmarket in 2007 but Dannii still managed to feature twice with her cheap trash. This year, there's not a Minogue in sight (*sob*) but lots of trashy Spanish divas and ex-Destiny's Child members. While I think 2008 was a bumper year for great singles, consistently excellent albums were harder to come by. However, these twenty CDs will keep you enthralled from the first track to the very last. I promise!

The best album of 2008 is a tie between "Bring Ya To The Brink" and "Sin Miedo"! After weeks of changing my mind about the winner, I finally gave up and decided that Cyndi and Soraya had produced equally brilliant albums. In some regards, the albums are actually quite similar. Both divas completely reinvented themselves in 2008 by delivering almost flawless sets of upbeat dance pop gems. Cyndi's album is more eclectic and adventurous, while sexy Soraya serves up a more cohesive record. Both are absolutely superb from beginning to end.

3. Philadelphia Disco Party - Las Supremas De Móstoles (Spain, Did Not Chart)

You simply haven't lived until you've had a Philadelphia disco party with Las Supremas! These sexy Spanish sirens are pop trash royalty. Their heavily accented Motown cover versions rocked my world and I got the chance to hang out with (and be fondled by one of) them in Madrid. Read about my adventures here. "Philadelphia Disco Party" is the most fun record of 2008. This fabaulous shit is pure musical MDMA. Best of all, you can download it from Aus iTunes.

Essential Tracks - "Sing A Happy Song", "Take Good Care Of Yourself", "Gonna Get Along Without Your Now", "Everlasting Love" and "Dirty Old Man".

CC Martini is the hottest bitch alive. I'm not just talking about her fire crotch but her attitude. From her wonderfully smutty lyrics to her unique brand of hip hop/pop, CC is always true to herself. "All The Way" was thrown together on a budget of nothing and occasionally you can tell. It's raw and more than a little rough around the edges. The ideas on display, however, are priceless. The album perfectly showcases CC's creativity and charisma. "All The Way" is a snapshot of a woman coming to terms with her immense talent. Hell, who else can claim to have a written a song titled "My Bush Would Make A Better President"?

People generally thought I had lost my mind when I started raving about "Bittersweet World" but almost a year later, I still love and play the album all the time. I honestly believe this is the album Madonna wanted for "Hard Candy". Ashlee worked with the same producers (Timbaland and one half of The Neptunes) but while she fed off their talent to create something fresh, fun and surprisingly edgy - Madonna transformed herself into the poor man's Keri Hilson. Go figure. "Bittersweet World" really is a weird and wonderful work. It covers dance, pop, rock and urban genres without ever sounding forced or desperate. Put your pre-conceptions on hold and give Trashlee a go. You might just be surprised.

September's Australian debut was ironically released the same week that Central Station (her label) folded. Not the most auspicious start to her Oz campaign but there's no denying the poptastic brilliance of "September". This album is basically comprised of the best tracks from Petra's last two albums, "In Orbit" and "Dancing Shoes". It provides a great overview of her recent European career and holds up as a fantastic pop album in its own right. The filler is gone, so you're left with all the hits and best album tracks. Consider this a mini-greatest hits package from one of Sweden's most successful pop stars.

Sneaky Sound System's second album is a glorious addition to the ever growing canon of local electropop. I really liked their first album but this is a massive step forward. The annoying urban influence is gone, Connie takes lead vocals on all ten tracks and their songwriting has improved profoundly. My only qualm with this entire project is the abysmal choice of singles. "Kansas City" was an ok, if uninspiring, selection but "When We Were Young" is possibly the worst song on the album. "I Want Everything" (a song that Kylie stupidly rejected for "X") is epic, "Lost In The Future" blows my mind, while "It's Not My Problem" is their finest mid-tempo moment. Hopefully, they'll get it right for the UK release.

Essential tracks - "It's Not My Problem", "I Want Everything", "Lost In The Future" and "Because Of You People Say I'm Crazy".

8. I Am... Sasha Fierce - Beyoncé(America, #8 AUS)

If I could have creatively re-edited "I Am... Sasha Fierce" according to my own fabulous taste, the album would feature even higher on the list. The two disc approach doesn't really work for me but the great thing about iPods is the ability to make your own playlist - and there really is something for everyone on this album. I love the urban dance tracks ("Radio", "Single Ladies", "Sweet Dreams" etc), a handful of the ballads ("Halo", "Disappear" and "Smash Into You") and even the fierce bonus tracks ("Why Don't You Love Me?" is well worth hunting down). "I Am... Sasha Fierce" is a bit of a mess but it has flashes of real brilliance. This is Beyoncé's first really great album.

I don't want to write too much about "Power Dance" because I plan to devote a full post to this hot tranny mess in the near future. From the moment I saw the cover in FNAC, I knew Gloria would be right up my trashy alley and my 6th sense for low brow music proved accurate yet again. I can't even describe Gloria's sound - it would fit under the broad banner of dance music but it varies from Spanish techno to cheesy pop that pays homage to Stock Aitken Waterman. Hell, one song even has a vocodered rap! I really need to research this amazing diva but at the moment I would say she's Spain's answer to Bionda or Linni Meister. Yes, she's THAT classy!

Essential tracks - There are only 7 songs and they're all essential!

10. E=MC² - Mariah Carey(America, #2 AUS)

I'm so fucking annoyed. I finally migrate to camp Mariah and her career falls apart. Again. "E=MC²" is another fine album that was destroyed by bizarre single choices. Why on earth were "Migrate" and "I'm That Chick" overlooked? Both tracks had the potential to be HUGE. The biggest irony is the fact that "E=MC²" radically improves on "The Emancipation Of Mimi". The production is crisper, the boring slow jams have been kept to a minimum and Mariah reigns in her pipes for most of the album. This is American pop at its best.

There's not much left to say about Ladyhawke. The hype surrounding her debut album has been positively deafening. Thankfully, this is one of the rare occasions when all the praise has been well and truly deserved. I still remember Pip as the lead singer of Sydney band Teenager and it's great to see how far she's come. "Ladyhawke" is a really great pop album. Yes, it's dressed up with some indie flourishes to keep the try hards happy but if you take away Pip's cooler than cool image you're left with a bunch of catchy pop tunes written by Kylie's old collaborators. The amazing Pascal Gabriel ("Your Love" and "Tightrope" on "Fever") is responsible for some of the album's best tracks including "My Delirium", "Magic" and "Dusk Till Dawn". Paul Harris (co-writer of Kylie's "In My Arms") delivers the brilliant "Better Than Sunday", while Greg Kurstin ("Wow") contributes "Professional Suicide". My only criticism is the lack of variety. The sound is a little too uniform and a couple of the tracks bleed into each other. Still, that's a small price to pay for pop gems like "Crazy World".

Judging by the comments left in my best singles of 2008 post, the Lady Gaga backlash is in full swing. I really don't get it. Sure, she's a bit pretentious but so is Robyn and that doesn't stop everyone fawning over her. Maybe it's the fact that Lady Gaga is actually selling records that gets people riled. I'm convinced if she were Swedish, the same haters would be hailing her as the second coming. Personally, I think Lady Gaga has produced a breathtakingly good dance-pop album. This a genre that doesn't lend itself to a lot of consistency but "The Fame" has no filler. It's jam packed with new ideas, fresh sounds and catchy tunes. Hopefully Lady Gaga's success in Australia (two #1 singles, a top 5 album) will inspire some local divas to follow in her electropop footsteps.

I really think I should have placed this higher in the list. At its best, "Sol-Angel & The Hadley Street Dreams" is better than most of the albums in my top 10. The retrotastic Motown vein that Solange mines in tracks like "Sandcastle Disco", "I Decided", "T.O.N.Y." and "Would've Been The One" is simply superb. They are some of my favourite tracks of 2008. However, for each wonderful musical experiment that Solange pulls off ("Cosmic Journey") - another falls flat ("This Bird"). "Sol-Angel & The Hadley Street Dreams" is perhaps a little too audacious for its own good but that's also what makes it brilliant. Solange has taken risks and forged her own path. The album might not have been greeted with the success it deserved but Solange has finally emerged from Beyoncé's shadow. Which I think was the whole point.

I have to get this off my chest. "Been Waiting" has one of the ugliest covers in Australian music history. Jessica looks like she's just stepped away from the cash register at K-Mart. She's such a gorgeous girl, was it really so hard to put her in a pretty dress and hire a professional to do her hair? That's not even mentioning the hideous font and layout. It looks like a visually impaired 5 year old whipped it up using Microsoft Paint. Sony might have saved some cash on the artwork but they really went all out on the music. As with Ladyhawke's album, there's also a strong Minogue connection on "Been Waiting". Jonas Jeberg ("All I See" and "Like A Drug") contributes the current single "Burn", which was co-written by La Toya's nephew Taj Jackson! Karen Poole also raises her ugly head on "Let Me Be Me". With the exception of those international contributions, "Been Waiting" is very much a local album with a global sound. The title track and "To The Floor" are so very now with their urban dance sound, while the synth heavy ballad "Because" wouldn't be out of place on the US charts. This is a fantastic urban pop album.

The Japanese Dannii is back! From the moment I first heard "Free Free", I knew Ami Suzuki was the J-Pop diva for me. My girl knows how to belt out a trashy dance anthem and "Dolce", her 6th album, is full of them. High energy gems like "Super Music Maker", "Feel The Beat" and "The Weekend" have earned Ami the title 'Queen of Techno' (She really IS the Japanese Queen of Clubs!) but the album also proves that she's no one trick pony. There are sample heavy electro tracks, a great cover of Aly & AJ's "Potential Break-Up Song", a lovely ballad ("If") and one of the quirkiest examples of 60s retro pop that I've had the pleasure of hearing ("２人はPOP"). I have no idea what that fabulous song is about (or the rest of the album for that matter) but I love it. Ami's poptastic genius crosses language and cultural barriers like no other diva.

Jade Macrae's second album was released to very little fanfare while I was overseas. By that stage "Get Me Home" had been delayed for almost 11 months and more than a year had passed between the first and second singles. Not surprisingly, it completely tanked. It's a shame because "Get Me Home" is a huge improvement on Jade's debut. She has mixed pop, dance and electronic elements into her usual urban sound and when it all comes together properly (as it does on the title track, "Run To You" and "I Wanna Be In Love") this rivals anything released by Beyoncé or Rihanna in 2008. The ballad "Shoulda Loved You More" is particularly stunning. Disappointingly, the album falls down somewhat with the more straightforward R'n'B tracks like "Next To Me" and "You're Gone". They're not bad by any stretch but they sound like Deni Hines circa 1997. As a whole, "Get Me Home" is a rough diamond but it's definitely worth hunting down.

Edurne is one of my favourite Spanish pop tarts. Her last offering, "Ilusión", was a tight, taut and terrific pop album. "Premiere", on the other hand, is a so bad it's amazing collection of showtunes - sung in Spanish and heavily accented English. This really does constitute a huge step back but I can't help but love it. "Premiere" is like musical crack for trash fans. It's cheap, cheerful and obscenely camp. I just love the song selection. Edurne covers Liza twice in English ("Cabaret" and "All That Jazz"), Olivia Newton-John twice in Spanish ("You're The One That I Want" and "Hopelessly Devoted To You") and delivers a stunning rendition of "Seasons Of Love" from Rent. I'm just disappointed that a Barbra Streisand classic missed out on the Edurne treatment. It's probably for the best. A Spanish version of "Hello Dolly" would have probably thrown me into a trash coma!

This was perhaps the year's biggest surprise. Even after falling in love with "We Break The Dawn", I ignored Michelle's album assuming it would be rubbish. When I finally did give "Unexpected" a listen, I was blown away. This is one album that more than lives up to its title! I'm not sure what I was expecting but it wasn't a ruthlessly upbeat collection of dance gems with the occasional pretty ballad thrown in for good measure. This sounds a lot like the Sasha Fierce disc on Beyoncé's latest album, which isn't suprising given the fact that both divas employ the same producers. Stargate, Jim Jonsin and Rico Love all make contributions. "Unexpected" lacks the variety of "I Am... Sasha Fierce" or the originality of "Sol-Angel & The Hadley Street Dreams" but it's easily disgestible pop at its most entertaining.

Essential tracks - "We Break The Dawn", "Lucky Girl", "Unexpected", "Hello Heartbreak" and "Till The End Of The World".

19. Sexy As Hell - Sarah Connor(Germany, #3 GER)

I have a soft spot for Germany's Sarah Connor. I love her white trash scandals and bad reality tv shows but her music is decidely hit and miss. When Sarah gets it right ("From Zero To Hero", "Let's Get Back To Bed - Boy!" and "Bounce"), the results can be fabulous. Thankfully, "Sexy As Hell" is something of a return to form after the dire mess that was "Soulicious". It seems Sarah has finally realised that she's not black. There are no duets with dead soul legends (don't ask) or bad interpretations of R'n'B classics. Instead, Sarah has hired Remee & Troelsen - the Danish team behind Monrose's "Hot Summer" and Christine Milton's "Superstar" - to give her a funky new pop sound with an urban twist. They contribute the title track and the amazingly catchy "See You Later", which could be a sequel to Miley Cyrus' "See You Again". My personal favourite is "Beautiful View", which reminds me of Kylie's "Still Standing". The album isn't perfect but this is a masterpiece by Sarah's standards.

This is the odd album out in this countdown. Firstly, it doesn't really contain any new material (it's a compilation of sorts). Secondly, it's pretty fucking classy stuff. Bic Runga is one of the few highly acclaimed singers that I can stand. There's just something about that exquisite voice that leaves me mesmerised. I've said it before but in a perfect world, this woman would be a household name. "Try To Remember Everything" won't be the album that brings Bic to the masses but it is pure porn for fans. There are beautifully performed live tracks, unreleased gems, a fascinating demo and a new song. This is the perfect album for soothing late night listening.

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"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" is the second single from My Chemical Romance's second studio album, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, released in 2005. The song reached #86 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and, in March 2005, #19 on the UK Singles Chart.

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"I Don't Care" is a song by the Finnish cello rock band Apocalyptica, featuring Adam Gontier of Three Days Grace on lead vocals. The song was originally released on Apocalyptica's sixth studio album Worlds Collide on September 14, 2007, but was re-recorded for the US release of said album, and shall also appear on the single release.

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2008 has been an unexpectedly great year for pop music. The first time I compiled an end of year countdown in 2006, I struggled to find 40 songs that I really loved. This year, I started off with a short list of 200 fantastic tunes and over the past few weeks, whittled it down to 50. What made 2008 such a bumper year? Two things. The incorporation of dance and pop elements into urban music and the emergence of electropop into the mainstream. Both trends are reflected in the countdown along with my unquenchable thirst for trash. The numbers are pretty arbitrary - each and every song on the list is a masterpiece in my book. I tried to focus on commercially released singles but my countdown also contains unreleased material, album tracks and a demo. My only concession to common sense was the exclusion of tracks from albums that are still being mined for singles. Hence the omission of Soraya's amazing "Angel Caído" and Lady Gaga's "Boys, Boys, Boys" (for example). It's a bit of a mess but here come the 50 greatest pop trash anthems of 2008. Enjoy!

1. Boys - Ashlee Simpson

America, Album Track

Stop rolling your eyes! My beloved Trashlee might be a complete mess (naming your child Bronx Mowgli should constitute some form of abuse) but there's no denying that "Boys" is a brilliantly written, insanely catchy and crisply produced pop anthem. In my review of Ashlee's surprisingly great "Bittersweet World" album, I described the track as sounding like a wonderful cross between Kylie and Blondie. The comparison is still apt. "Boys" captured my imagination more than any other song released this year. It's a three and a half minute burst of irresistibly camp fun. Every pop trash addict needs this gem in their collection.

Some poor diva had to be the bridesmaid and this time the honour goes to Kylie. Now she knows how Dannii feels 365 days a year. Firstly, I'd just like to clarify that my second favourite pop song of 2008 isn't the original version of "The One" (which I consider overrated) but the 9 minute Freemasons remix. Those boys have made a career fixing stinkers - usually recorded by Beyoncé - but this time they had to remix something that was pretty spectacular to begin with. Their approach was simple. Stretch it out and speed it up. The result, however, was Kylie's first real club smash in years. I can't explain how fantastic it was to hear "The One" every time I went out in London and see the dancefloor explode into life each time. A future classic.

"The One (Freemasons Vocal Club Mix)" is available from Aus iTunes.

3. Break The Dawn - Michelle Williams

America, Single (#47 UK)

It's simply unfathomable that "Break The Dawn" managed to flop - EVERYWHERE. This is an irresistibly uplifting party anthem dripping in synths and heavy beats. "Break The Dawn" represents everything great about the current American music scene. It's catchy, irreverent and makes you want to move your feet. I have no doubt this gem would have been a #1 smash for Beyoncé or Rihanna. Hell, even banged up Kelly Rowland could have rode it in the top 10! I guess poor Michelle will always be known as the bad dancer from Destiny's Child. It's a shame because out of all the DC solo albums released this year, hers is arguably the most enjoyable.

This song, more than any other, reminds me of Spain. It was simply inescapable. I heard "Tenía Tanto Que Darte" every time I turned on the radio or watched TV. Thank fuck it's a great song! Needless to say, it was also something of a smash - remaining at #1 for weeks and weeks. So what's the appeal? "Tenía Tanto Que Darte" is just the catchiest thing I've heard all year. It grabs you from the first listen and refuses to let go. There's also something incredibly uplifting about the track. I feel happy every time I hear it, which is actually kind of ironic given the fact it's a break-up song (the title roughly translates as "I Could Have Given You So Much More").

"Tenía Tanto Que Darte" is sadly NOT available on Aus iTunes. Watch the video here.

5. Kill The Boy - Isabel Guzman

Sweden, EP (Did not chart)

Isabel Guzman is THE pop diva to watch in 2009. The lovely Swede can do no wrong at the moment, whether it be tearing Pop Justice Live a new arsehole or dropping the year's best EP. Isabel has what so many of her countrywomen are lacking - charisma and an uncanny knack of connecting with the listener on an emotional level. All the songs on "Kill The Boy" are fabulous but the title track stands tall as the most seductive and original. This track is fragile, dark and so unexpectedly pretty. I hope Isabel explores this sound further on her sure to be amazing debut album.

"Kill The Boy" is available from Aus iTunes.

6. Into The Nightlife - Cyndi Lauper

America, Single (#82 Aus)

"Into The Nightlife" might not have set the charts on fire but it reminded everyone why we fell in love with Cyndi all those years ago and introduced her to a whole new army of (mostly gay) fans. This is searing, hands in the air pop of the highest calibre. "Into The Nightlife" is already something of an underground pop classic and I'm sure it will continue to find the appreciation it so richly deserves in the future. Chalk this up as the comeback of 2008.

"Into The Nightlife" is available from Aus iTunes. Watch the video here.

7. Body Talk (Electro Remix) - Don Bennechi

Sweden, Single (Did Not Chart)

Now this is some serious TRASH! I've been meaning to write about Sweden's greatest living male singer for the past few months but I don't think even Pop Trash Addicts is ready for Don just yet. I'm afraid if I plumb those depths there will be nowhere left to go because this legend really does represent the bottom of the barrel. Don is a self-confessed household name in Sweden - not to mention a megastar in Asia - but I'm yet to find any evidence of him having had a hit. Anywhere. That's not to say he doesn't deserve one. In a perfect world, Don would be bigger than Michael Jackson in the 80s! He has the looks of a middle aged Adonis and a sleazy accent that drives me into frenzy. I have to type one handed when I think about Don singing "close your eyes and let me turn you on right from the start, feel the tip of my tongue celebrate your every part". Hold me back! The electro mix of "Bodytalk" is a Dontastic delight. Be warned - this is only for the hardcore trash lover!

"Bodytalk (Electro Remix)" is available from Aus iTunes.

8. Sandcastle Disco - Solange

America, Single (#165 UK)

"Sandcastle Disco" has to be the best #165 smash hit in the history of music. Well, at least until Dannii releases her next single. Solange was an absolute revelation in 2008. I thought "I Decided" would be impossible to top but "Sandcastle Disco" is an even richer musical journey into the sweet sounds of Motown. This gem is an exquisite nod to acts like The Supremes and Martha Reeves & The Vandellas without sounding like a cheap imitation. I'm so glad Matthew Knowles let my Sol-angel out of the basement long enough for her to show Beyoncé a couple of new tricks.

"Sandcastle Disco" is available from Aus iTunes. Watch the video here.

9. Free Free - Ami Suzuki

Japan, Single (#32 JAP)

Ami Suzuki is my J-Pop obsession. Earlier this year, I described her as the Japanese Dannii due to her fabulous pop sound, trashy scandals and floptastic chart run but - in all honesty - Dannii hasn't released anything as good as "Free Free" for many a year. This scorching dance anthem boasts a glorious chorus and some seriously crazy sound effects. While the other J-Pop divas desperately strive for credibility, Ami continues to bring the fun. "Free Free" is the perfect summer party anthem. This gem really is worth hunting down. On a slightly different note, Ami recently released a new album but I'm still waiting for HMV Japan to deliver it. Expect to read more about this amazing pop tart in the near future.

"Free Free" is sadly NOT available from Aus iTunes. Watch the video here.

10. Walking On A Dream - Empire Of The Sun

Australia, Single (#16 Aus)

Electropop took Australia by storm in 2008. The Presets, The Potbelleez and Van She all experienced success but my favourite slice of homegrown electronica came from Empire Of The Sun. Featuring two of Australia's greatest musicians (Nick Littlemore from Pnau and Luke Steele from The Sleepy Jackson), this band had a lot to live up to but "Walking On A Dream" more than delivered. This dreamy piece of electro was a breath of fresh air on the radio and made many of their contemporaries sound heavy handed and downright boring. Fingers crossed that "Walking On A Dream" takes off internationally in 2009.

"Walking On A Dream" is available from Aus iTunes. Watch the video here.

11. Maria - Kelly Wilde

Australia, Single (Did Not Chart)

Stunning Kelly hails from the Shire (South Sydney) but she has become a fixture on London's gay scene with her amazing Hi-NRG cover versions. I managed to see Kelly live twice when I was in London - once at the Two Brewers and then again at the Black Cap with Jamie from Poplicious. We were so overwhelmed by Kelly's brilliance that we ended up storming the stage with a group of Lithuanian sex tourists. Don't ask. The highlight of both shows for me (apart from Kelly's amazing dance routines and bedazzled outfits) was her trashtastic rendition of Blondie's "Maria". This is good, old fashioned Hi-NRG brilliance. All hail, Queen Kelly!

"Maria" is available from Aus iTunes. Watch an amazing live performance of the song here.

12. Double Dutch - CC Martini

Australia, Single (Did Not Chart)

I positively ache for CC Martini. Her unique blend of hip hop beats and smutty pop turned my world upside down in 2008. CC is quite simply the most original diva to emerge from this country in many a year. "Double Dutch" is the perfect example of what this fabulous bitch does better than anyone else. It's a catchy cheerleader anthem in the mould of Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl" - only CC advises school girls to rub jizz on their face. Class. CC is currently working with American producers in LA. I can't wait to hear what she comes up with next.

I have a soft spot for aging divas with plastic surgery addictions and Italy's Spagna more than fits the bill. Spagna had her last big international hit way back in 1987 with "Call Me" (what a song!) but the old bird never stopped churning out trashy Eurodance anthems in her homeland. And for that we thank her. "Dancing On The Beach" is a trash lover's wet dream. It's perhaps the most gloriously cheesy song on this entire countdown. I have to thank Deirdre Halliwell (a woman of truly exquisite taste) for putting me onto this masterpiece.

"Dancing On The Beach" is available from Aus iTunes.

14. The Truth - Jasmine Baird

Canada, Unreleased

Where the fuck is Jasmine Baird? Up until very recently, this Canadian songbird was best known as Nelly Furtado's back-up singer and the co-writer of Kylie's brilliant "Rippin' Up The Disco". That all appeared set to change when Jasmine signed with a prominent management company, swiftly recorded some of the finest pop tunes of 2008 and promoted them at several high profile showcases (one of which I was lucky enough to attend thanks to Robpop). I'm appalled by the rumours that Jasmine has decided to concentrate on songwriting. She has everything - good looks, a great voice and buckets of talent. It should be illegal to waste all that! I loved all the songs Jasmine performed at her showcase but "The Truth" really stood out for me and I've been obsessed with it ever since. It reminds me of Prince circa "Raspberry Beret" - it's just so catchy and funky. It horrifies me to think that it might end up being raped by some hideous German girlband.

"The Truth" remains unreleased. Watch a short documentary about Jasmine's London showcase here. You can hear "The Truth" on her Myspace.

15. Flower - Kylie

Australia, Unreleased

"Flower" was my highlight of Kylie's amazing X2008 tour. There's just something so moving and honest about this ballad. The lyrics are purposely ambiguous (to avoid being overly saccharine) but I interpret the song as an ode to the children Kylie will most likely never have. Lines like "Distant child, my flower. Are you blowing in the breeze? Can you feel me as I breathe life into you?" are particularly revealing. I swear you can hear Kylie's ovaries crying out for sperm if you listen closely. More importantly, "Flower" works on a completely different level - as a straightforward love ballad. It could just as easily be about the embryonic stage of a new relationship. Regardless of how you interpret it, "Flower" would have added a whole new dimension to "X". I just hope a studio version turns up eventually.

"Flower" remains unreleased.

16. Tell Me - The Wonder Girls

South Korea, Single (#1 KOR)

If only Whores Aloud were one tenth as entertaining as South Korea's Wonder Girls. "Tell Me" has been a favourite of mine all year. It's insanely catchy, has a brilliant sample (Stacey Q's "Two Of Hearts") and still makes me smile every time I hear it. Their latest Korean smash "So Hot" also has the pop trash seal of approval.

Olivia Newton-John's crazy arse daughter had something of a breakthrough year in 2008. Her appearance on MTV's "Rock The Cradle" introduced her to an entirely new audience and her erratic behaviour made for some of the year's best car crash viewing. I'm just a little worried that Chloe's album is still unreleased. She has been working on it for almost 5 years and it's been delayed more times than La Toya's "Startin' Over". At the very least, we know it will be worth the wait. The tracks that Chloe occasionally post on Myspace have been uniformly brilliant. "Make It Stop" is another slice of genius. It's dark, strangely beautiful and very catchy. Dear Chloe, please have something to eat and release your fucking album!

Not releasing "Migrate" was the single most stupid record company decision in 2008. End of.

"Migrate" is available from Aus iTunes.

19. Embrace - Pnau

Australia, Single (top 60 AUS)

Pnau scored a minor hit with the ultra annoying "Baby" but they more than made up for that stinker with the grandiose "Embrace". I'm still bitter that this managed to flop. It is my idea of the perfect electropop song - killer beats, catchy chorus and clinically precise production. Hell, it even features the vocals of New Zealand's Ladyhawke and was remixed by Australia's hottest DJs. Bastards! Check out the Sam La More remix - it's particularly brilliant.

"Embrace" is available from Aus iTunes. There is no video clip.

20. Hot N Cold - Katy Perry

America, Single (#4 AUS)

Katy Perry, the poster child for love and understanding, was probably the breakthrough act of 2008 along with Lady Gaga. "I Kissed A Girl" was genius in its own completely inoffensive right but "Hot N Cold" was even better. Pink wishes she had something this catchy on "Funhouse".

Everything I said about "Sandcastle Disco" is equally applicable to this gorgeous gem. The reason for the slightly lower ranking is the fact that the original album version of "I Decided" sounds a bit flat in comparison. It really did need the remix - unlike "Sandcastle Disco".

My friends sang this masterpiece loudly all the way from London to Brighton Pride. Lyrics like "she's a slut and she knows it, she wants to root all the boys" take on a whole new meaning in that context! Summer Heights High really was the best thing on Australian TV all year and it was only fitting that Mr G release one of 2008's finest pop tracks. A gay classic.

"Sola" is another brilliant anthem I came across in Spain. I think it's the solo debut for the frontwoman of Greta y los Garbos (who have been described as Spain's answer to The Corrs - yuck!) but I'm not 100% sure because I can't find a lot of information about Greta in English. From my (poor) understanding of the lyrics, I also think it's another cheerful break up anthem. Why is everyone in Spain so happy when their relationships falls apart? One thing I am certain of, however, is the quality of "Sola". This is a beautiful slice of mid-tempo guitar pop that gets stuck in your head from the very first listen. I wasn't overwhelmed by the rest of her album but this is top notch pop.

Although "Cry For You" was September's big hit in 2008, I vastly prefer "Because I Love You". This was going to September's third single in Australia and local remixes had already been commissioned when Central Station closed down. I was lucky enough to hear a remix by KCB and they really did a fantastic job. Not that "Because I Love You" needed a lot of work. This is one of those incredibly simple three minute pop songs about nothing in particular. I just love the harmony and the sense of joy exuded in Petra's voice.

"Because I Love You" is available from Aus iTunes. Watch a live performance of the song here.

26. Wow - Kylie

Australia, Single (#11 AUS)

"Wow" was my favourite (unremixed) single from "X". Some fans and critics accused the song of being overly camp and lacking credibility. I would ask where they've all been for the last 20 years. Bless Kylie for bringing good, old trashy pop back to the mainstream.

Don't judge me! "Fashion" is poptastic in the extreme. Produced by RedOne - the powerhouse behind "Just Dance" - this stunning anthem is every bit as fabulous as Lady Gaga's #1 hit. What's not to love about Heidi's shrill voice mispronouncing French luxury items? I think the Heidi haters are just jealous of her perfect life as captured (completely unscripted, of course) on The Hills. At least she can console herself with Spencer's cock. Heidi's trashtastic "Overdosin'" is a worthy follow up to this gem.

"Fashion" is sadly NOT available from Aus iTunes. Listen to the song here.

28. Back Of The Van - Ladyhawke

New Zealand, Single (Did Not Chart)

Ladyhawke was on fire in 2008. "Paris Is Burning" and "My Delirium" received most of the accolades but my favourite single was the retrotastic "Back Of The Van". The first time I heard it, I had visions of Stevie Nicks and Pat Benatar. I love the 80s guitar sound and the subtle but effective chorus. Given the strength of her debut album, expect Ladyhawke to feature prominently on next year's countdown.

Jade Macrae's highly anticipated (by me, at least) second album came and sank without a trace in 2008. It was slightly uneven but at its best, "Get Me Home" rivals anything recorded by Beyoncé or Rihanna this year. My favourite track on the album is "Run To You" and I urge everyone to check it out. It's a synth heavy urban pop jam with a distinctly 80s flavour. I can't help but think the album would have stood a much better chance if the label went with this gem as the first single. It's bright, bouncy and so very now.

"Run To You" is available from Aus iTunes.

30. Walking On Air - Kerli

Estonia, Single (#1 EST)

Kerli is a creepy Estonian girl with a big label deal in America. Unfortunately, her kooky brand of gothic pop didn't really take off but "Walking On Air" remains a breathtakingly original pop tune. I love how uneasily the sinister verses sit with the uplifting chorus. It really shouldn't work but it does thanks to some very impressive production. If you like "Walking On Air", I highly recommend Kerli's other single "Love Is Dead".

"Walking On Air" is sadly NOT available on Aus iTunes. Watch the video here.

31. Perfect (Album Version) - Vanessa Amorosi

Australia, Single (#4 AUS)

Despite my reservations about "Kiss Your Mama" (I still think it's dire), Vanessa really turned things around with "Perfect" - scoring her biggest hit since 2000's "Shine". The appeal of the song is pretty obvious. "Perfect" is an old school ballad that appeals to tragic gays and bored housewives in equal measure. Vanessa's voice is in fine form and the lyrics are endearingly inane - "you sway gently in the breeze inbetween my dreams". What? Avoid the single edit if you can. It's a complete hatchet job, trimming the song of almost a minute and a half of bad lyrics. The rudeness!

If you told me at the beginning of the year that Chris Brown would feature in my 2008 countdown, I probably would have slapped you with a Dannii CD. In fact, I don't think I was even aware of his existence before "Forever". Needless to say, the fabulousness of this trash caught me by surprise. "Forever" is like the male equivalent of Michelle Williams' "Break The Dawn" - only this was actually a hit. Both tracks share the same bouncy synths, upbeat chorus and fun lyrics. I hope the urban dance trend continues well into 2009.

I'm going to devote a post to this Spanish siren in the near future. Of all divas I discovered in Spain, Silvina is probably the most unique. The best description I can come up with is a cross between Yelle and Roisin Murphy - without being a pretentious wank. She's quirky, super stylish and very, very talented. I wish I could understand the lyrics because I'm told they are witty but you don't need to speak Spanish to enjoy this fabulous dose of continental pop. I think this girl has real international potential.

"Ya No Soy Moderna (Remix) is available from Aus iTunes. Watch the video here.

35. If I Were A Boy - Beyoncé

America, Single (#3 Aus)

I've written about my love for this track in several posts, so there's no need for me to repeat myself here. I'm aware that this is a cold, calculated attempt to cultivate a more mature image - stolen from some poor bitch, no less. But it works perfectly. So who, I ask, really cares?

Oh lord. I'm seriously scared of Monica Naranjo. She looks like the kind of demented tranny that would cut your throat in a back alley and then draw pictures with your blood. It took Parker's 4 hour lecture and a month in Spain to overcome my fears but I can finally say that I'm a fan. As much as I love "Europa" (her first single), I find it difficult to cope with a 7 minute pop song. The follow up, "Amor y Lujo" ("Love and Luxury"), is much easier to digest. In fact, this is the closest thing to traditional pop on "Tarantula". I love the operatic chorus and Monica's dramatic vocal delivery. Everything about this song is so completely and ridiculously over the top. There is definitely some kind of scary tranny genius at play.

"Amor y Lujo" is sadly NOT available from Aus iTunes. Watch the video here.

37. More More More (Winter Chill Mix) - Dannii

Australia, Album track

Chill out Dannii is an acquired taste. Personally, I can't get enough of it. If "Trip" and "Take Me Inside" appealed to you, then "More More More (Winter Chill Mix) should really push your buttons. It's a dreamy 6 minute journey that grows on me more each time I listen to it.

"More More More" is sadlly NOT available from Aus iTunes. Listen to the track here.

38. There Must Be Something - Isabel Guzman

Sweden, Unreleased

"There Must Be Something" is a tantalising taste of things to come from Isabel in 2009. From the moment I heard this, I fell in love with the vicious synths, sharp lyrics and brilliant chorus. This is pure quality. There really is no stopping this amazing woman.

"There Must Be Something" remains unreleased. Listen to a clip of the song here.

39. Allein, Allein - Polarkreis 18

Germany, Single (#8, GER)

"Allein Allein" was all over the radio when I was in Germany. I'm not surprised because the song really is quite epic. Polarkreis 18 are kind of like the German equivalent of MGMT with their unsual brand organic electronica. "Allein Allein" is something special. The English language verses build up to a truly anthemic German chorus. Throw in some pulsating beats and a children's choir and you're left with one of the year's most weird and wonderful pop songs.

"Allein Allein" is sadly NOT available on Aus iTunes. Watch the video here.

40. The Winner Takes It All - Kylie & Dannii

Australia, Album track

My initial response to this was intense disappointment. I had been waiting for the Minogues to release a duet for so long that my expectations were completely unrealistic. "The Winner Takes It All" isn't perfect. I still don't think it's a great song choice for them and the production is fairly underwhelming but it is a hell of a lot of fun and the track has grown on me immensely. The best thing about "The Winner Takes It All"? It provides irrefutable proof of Dannii's superior vocal prowess. Fact!

"The Winner Takes It All" is NOT available from Aus iTunes. Listen to the song here.

41. Sigo Enamorada De Ti - Edurne

Spain, Single (Did Not Chart)

I love Edurne. Her latest megaflop album, "Premiere", is possibly the gayest thing I've heard all year. On it the Spanish diva destroys covers a bunch of camp showtunes - in Spanish and heavily accented English. It's tragifabulous on an epic scale! My favourite hatchet job interpretation on the album is Edurne's Spanish language cover of Olivia Newton-John's "Hopelessly Devoted To You". I worship Olivia and it warmed my heart to hear this when I was in Spain. It's actually quite lovely but I guess Edurne has had a lot of practice - she's playing Sandy in Spanish stage production of "Grease". If you like this, check out her amazing cover of "You're The One That I Want". Heavenly!

"Sigo Enamorada De Ti" is sadly NOT available from Aus iTunes. Watch the video here.

42. I Kissed A Girl - Katy Perry

America, Single (#1 AUS)

I didn't kiss a girl in 2008 but I think I accidentally went down on a transvestite in Malaga. Does that count?

One of the greatest girlbands of the 1970s reunited in 2008 and no one seemed to give a shit. Well, it's your loss. "Rollout" is an absolute corker of a track. It boasts some amazing production (courtesy of Wyclef Jean), camp lyrics and three of the best voices in the music industry. This trashtastic slice of geriatic urban pop puts their much younger rivals to shame. Lay-deez!

I'm such a whore for fierce cover art. I was mesmerised by Judith's naughty school marm get up and decided to give "Creatures Of Habit" a listen. This is one book you shouldn't judge by the cover. I'm not sure what I was expecting but it wasn't gently uplifting folk pop. Normally, I run screaming from this type of music but "Creatures Of Habit" is so sweet and pretty that it just kind of got under my skin. I love Judith's phrasing and the simplicity of the arrangement. This turned out to be a very pleasant surprise indeed.

"Creatures Of habit" is available from Aus iTunes.

45. MiMiracle - Adore Me/Show Me

Norway, Single (Did Not Chart)

MiMiracle is a busty beauty from Norway who rocked my world with her amazing Hi-NRG "hits" - "Show Me" and "Adore Me". They are both basically two versions of the one song, so I've combined them. It's hard to write about MiMiracle without mentioning her amazing video clips. This is one diva who really knows how to work her two greatest assets and I'm not talking about her voice! Not that there's anything wrong with her pipes - you just can't hear them under all those vocoder effects. Long live MiMiracle!

"Show Me" and "Adore Me" are available from Aus iTunes. Watch the video here.

46. Rock With U - Janet

America, Single (#158 UK)

I'm starting to feel sorry for Janet. The poor bitch couldn't do a thing right in 2008. "Discipline" fell down the charts faster than Dannii's knickers at a dyke bar, Def Jam dumped her and she had to cancel most of her tour due to "vestibular migraines" - an interesting way of saying that she got fat. That's not even touching on the eternal torment of living in La Toya's shadow! Well, I'll throw this old dog a bone. "Discipline" was a complete stinker but there's no denying the genius of "Rock With U". It's a futuristic slut jam produced with absolute clinical precision. Janet hasn't sounded this sexy and cutting edge for years.

I recently mentioned the Dutch Queen of Dance (DQD) in my tribute to Central Station. EliZe's debut album ("In Control") is one of my favourite pop albums of this decade, so it's an understatement to say that I was looking forward to her new material. "Lovesick" isn't quite as fabulous as "Automatic" or "Into Your System" but it still blows most of her contemporaries out of the water. It's cute, catchy and makes you want to dance - what more do can you ask from a pop song? I am slightly worried about EliZe's second album if her nasty cover of Donna Summer's "Hot Stuff" is any indication. Yikes! However, I will keep the faith. There's something special about this Dutch diva.

Lenka's "The Show" walks the fine line between sweet and saccharine with the skill of an acrobat. Sometimes I think it's perhaps a little too cute for its own good but I'm usually too caught up in the wry lyrics and ruthlessly upbeat chorus to care. There were days in London when I listened to this on repeat - it brought some much needed sunshine into the gloom and for that reason alone "The Show" earns its place on my countdown.

2008 has been a banner year for ex-members of Destiny's Child. Beyoncé finally came good with "I Am... Sasha Fierce", Michelle Williams shocked everyone with the amazing "Break The Dawn" and Kelly Rowland scored an international solo hit with "Work". This was released almost a year ago but I'm still in love with it. The hypnotic Eastern loops combine perfectly with a fierce diva chorus to make one hell of a good pop song. Put it in!

"Work (Freemasons remix)" is available from Aus iTunes. Watch the video here.

50. I Want Your Love - Nick Skitz Featuring Melissa Tkautz

Australia, Single (#60 AUS)

I'm not sure if Transvision Vamp's "I Want Your Love" really needed to be covered for the 279th time but it's always a treat to hear something new from Australia's Queen of trash. Melissa can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned. She rocks out with the best of them on this and Nick does a great job transforming the track into a dance anthem. I hope they both find a new home after the closure of Central Station.

"I Want Your Love" is available from Aus iTunes. Watch the video here.